Peng Guoping1, Wu Wei2, Liu Xiaoyan3, He Fangping4, Chen Zhongqin3, Luo Benyan5. 1. Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310003, China; Laboratory of Brain Medical Central, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310003, China. 2. National Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment for Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310003, China. 3. Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310003, China. 4. Laboratory of Brain Medical Central, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310003, China. 5. Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310003, China; Laboratory of Brain Medical Central, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310003, China. Electronic address: luobenyan@zju.edu.cn.
Abstract
AIM: To investigate the characteristics of the peripheral T cell immune response of patients at different stages of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). METHODS: 61 Arterial atherosclerotic cerebral infarct induced VCI patients, including 28 vascular dementia (VaD) cases, 33 no dementia (VCI-ND) cases, and 25 atherosclerotic cerebral infarct patients with normal cognitive function (CI-NC) as controls were enrolled. Peripheral CD8(+)T, CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg, CD4(+)IL-17(+) Th17 cells proportion, and IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IFN-γ levels, and neuropsychological function were assessed. RESULTS: There was no difference in average age, gender ratio, years of education, and risk factors of infarct among the three groups. Peripheral CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg in VCI-ND and VaD groups were significantly lower than that in controls, and CD8(+) T cells were markedly elevated in VaD group. The IL-17(+) Th17 cell proportion did not differ significantly among three groups. IL-6 and IFN-γ expression levels in VaD group were higher than those in other two groups. The VDAS-Cog executive function subscale score was negatively correlated with CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg proportion in VCI patients, and positively correlated with IL-6 levels. CONCLUSION: VCI patients demonstrated a decrease in peripheral CD4(+) Treg proportion and increased IL-6 expression, and both parameters were correlated with the decline of executive functions.
AIM: To investigate the characteristics of the peripheral T cell immune response of patients at different stages of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). METHODS: 61 Arterial atherosclerotic cerebral infarct induced VCI patients, including 28 vascular dementia (VaD) cases, 33 no dementia (VCI-ND) cases, and 25 atherosclerotic cerebral infarctpatients with normal cognitive function (CI-NC) as controls were enrolled. Peripheral CD8(+)T, CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg, CD4(+)IL-17(+) Th17 cells proportion, and IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IFN-γ levels, and neuropsychological function were assessed. RESULTS: There was no difference in average age, gender ratio, years of education, and risk factors of infarct among the three groups. Peripheral CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg in VCI-ND and VaD groups were significantly lower than that in controls, and CD8(+) T cells were markedly elevated in VaD group. The IL-17(+) Th17 cell proportion did not differ significantly among three groups. IL-6 and IFN-γ expression levels in VaD group were higher than those in other two groups. The VDAS-Cog executive function subscale score was negatively correlated with CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg proportion in VCI patients, and positively correlated with IL-6 levels. CONCLUSION: VCI patients demonstrated a decrease in peripheral CD4(+) Treg proportion and increased IL-6 expression, and both parameters were correlated with the decline of executive functions.